RM Williams Publishing

Featuring music for Horn and Horn in chamber music

Program Notes

Bruce Atwell
Natural Horn/Valved Horn Technical Etudes

Many of the exercises in this book are designed to target the most difficult hand stopping combinations, such as the transition from open b-flat′ to fully stopped a-flat′. It turns out that many of the more difficult hand stopping transitions are also difficult valve combinations, so it is very useful to play these exercises on natural horn and Valved Horn.

For further information on hand stopping and Natural Horn in general, Dauprat’s Method for Cor Alto and Cor Basse is the most complete reference work. Oscar Franz’s Method also extols the virtues of hand horn study and contains a few natural horn etudes. For more advanced study, practice Gallay’s etudes and preludes on hand horn. It is my hope that these exercises will serve as a starting point for horn players and teachers to incorporate hand horn study into their playing and teaching to provide a solid foundation for valve horn study and to carry on the wonderful history and tradition of this noble instrument.

Paul Basler
Above the Wind

Above the Wind was commissioned by and written for bassoonist Bruce Gbur. Composed in the winter of 1993, the work is dedicated to Eva Adcock, who for many years was a professor of music at Western Carolina University and a dominant, inspirational force in the musical world of southern Appalachia. Above the Wind is a predominantly gentle work that tries to capture the quiet yet strong spirit of rural western Carolinians as well as the grandeur of the ancient mountains.

Paul Basler
The Ascension

The Ascension was written for Charles Snead and the University of Alabama Horn Choir, with great respect and admiration for their wonderful musicianship and friendship. Composed in the spring of 1990, the work went through a complete revision in January 1997. The piece is a sort of personal manifesto on matters spiritual as well as physical. Gestures leap upwards, rhythmic patterns undulate underneath (and above) melodic fragments, activity rushes by at a rapid pace, only to be transformed into a new level of motion—slower and more thoughtful. The whole work can be seen as a journey towards “enlightenment.”

Paul Basler
The Bill and Brice Polka

The Bill and Brice Polka was written for William Purvis and Brice Andrus as an encore piece for their guest artist recital at the 25th International Horn Society Workshop held at Florida State University in 1993.

Paul Basler
Cantos

Cantos was written for and commissioned by the 2004 Southeast Horn Workshop (Florida State University, Tallahassee) as the required first-round work for the collegiate solo horn competition. The piece is dedicated to William Capps, Professor of Horn at FSU since 1971 who retired in the spring of 2004, with great respect and thanks for his tremendous contributions to the musical world.

Paul Basler
Dance Fool, Dance!

Dance Fool, Dance! for horn and synthesizer was written for and dedicated to Thomas Bacon. The piece is in three short movements (all fast) which swirl around in exuberant playfulness.

Paul Basler
Divertimento

Divertimento for horn and piano was written in Nairobi, Kenya and is dedicated to Barry Benjamin. In five distinct movements, the piece combines elements of American “classical” music, jazz, and Kenyan folk elements to create an entertaining diversion for both performers and audience.

Paul Basler
Dos Danzas

Dos Danzas was commissioned by The Florida State University School of Music in honor of William Capps, FSU Professor of Horn, 1971–2004, for performance at the 2004 Southeast Horn Workshop (Florida State University, Tallahassee). The piece is dedicated to William Capps, Professor of Horn at FSU since 1971 who retired in the spring of 2004, with great respect and thanks for his tremendous contributions to the musical world.

Paul Basler
Etudes for Horn

Etudes for Horn is a collection of solo pieces that deal with various aspects of modern horn playing. This book serves as a companion set to the etudes of Verne Reynolds, Gunther Schuller, and Kopprasch and will hopefully give the advanced hornist extra work in technical and lyrical playing, throughout the entire range. Many of the etudes can be used as solo horn pieces in recital. Etudes for Horn is dedicated to William Purvis whose performance and teaching inspired this book.

Paul Basler
Five Pieces

Five Pieces was written for Michelle Stebleton, Associate Professor of Music at Florida State University. Descriptive in nature, each piece deals with a specific horn “issue”—e.g. fast scalar passages, lyrical arpeggios, fingering exercises, etc.

Paul Basler
Folk Songs

Folk Songs for horn and piano was written for and dedicated to various students in Basler’s horn studio as well as Michelle Stebleton. The playing level ranges from simple to moderately advanced—these pieces fill a void in the horn literature for quality arrangements of some of the world’s finest melodies. The ordering and choice of pieces is left up to the performers.

Paul Basler
Harambee

Harambee (pronounced hah-RAHM-bay) for five horns was written for Charles Snead and the University of Alabama Horn Choir. Harambee is the Kiswahili word meaning “all pull together” or “collective effort.” In Kenya, it has been the national motto since the 1963 independence from British colonialists; along with jamhuri (independence) and uhuru (freedom), harambee has taken on an almost religious aspect and usually conjures up images of charitable sacrifice in the guise of physical or monetary assistance. The work is based on the African musical form known as call and response—in this case, two solo horns function as the leaders while the other three respond. While no “folk” material has been used, the piece is nonetheless filled with images and sounds of Kenyan melody and rhythm.

Paul Basler
Harambee: Horn Music of Paul Basler

Lisa Bontrager
David Bradley
Kristen Johns
Charles “Skip” Snead
Michelle Stebleton
Gerald Walker, Jr.
horns
Paul Basler
piano
  1. Harambee, for 5 horns (3:24)
  2. Serenade for horn & piano (6:48)
  3. Folk Songs, for horn & piano (13:00)
  4. Pieces (3) for horn quartet (4:50)
  5. Lacrymosa, for horn duo (6:55)
  6. Folk Songs from the British Isles, for horn & piano (10:28)
  7. Dos Danzas, for 4 horns & piano (4:23)
  8. Canciones, for horn & piano (7:56)
  9. The Ascension, for horn choir (3:25)

Total Running Time: 1:01:09

Paul Basler
Horn Warm-Up

Horn Warm-Up is a set of exercises that I have collected over the past 15 years in search of the most successful way to start each working day. They do not presume to be “original”—arpeggios, scales and long tones are used by us all every day. You will notice portions of this warm-up that seem very familiar; perhaps you use several of them in your own daily routine. What is different about this set is the way in which they are presented—their ordering is specifically designed to get the maximum results with as little fatigue as possible. These exercises are for the hornist who wants to have complete control of the entire range, a fluid, warm sound, and “athletic” agility. These are not for the meek at heart! They are rather difficult, but perseverance will result in a greater command of your instrument and musicality.

Paul Basler
Ken Bits

Ken Bits was written for and dedicated to Michael Paige, the 1993–94 Senior Fulbright Lecturer in international curriculum development (and fine amateur trumpet player) at Kenyatta University. The piece is in three short movements depicting various “events” during our year in Kenya. Jua Kali Repairman is a musical portrait of the ingenious artisans of Kenya who can fix just about anything with whatever is lying around (jua kali translates to “under the sun”). Sundowner is a quiet interlude, depicting that time of the day when one relaxes under a favorite tree, sipping a drink and talking with friends. Matatu Alert is a musical representation of the ever present, maniacal drivers and their small buses, joyfully terrorizing Kenyans and wildlife alike.

Paul Basler
Lacrymosa

Lacrymosa was commissioned by and written for MirrorImage, Lisa Bontrager and Michelle Stebleton, with support from the Institute for the Arts and Humanities at the Pennsylvania State University. The work is characterized by an overall sense of profound sorrow and draws some of its inspiration from the Poulenc Elegie for horn and piano. Lacrymosa was written between February 3rd and March 26th, 2002 in Gainesville, Florida and Nairobi, Kenya.

Paul Basler
Marathon

Marathon was written for Michelle Stebleton, Associate Professor of Music at Florida State University and was first performed at the 1997 International Horn Society Workshop at the University of Washington. The piece combines supple, lyrical arches with fearless, athletic leaps in a “marathon” of sorts for the horn player.

Paul Basler
Processional

Processional was written for the marriage of Barbara West and Benjamin Pringle in December 1995.

Paul Basler
Serenade for horn and piano

Serenade for horn and piano was written for and dedicated to Patrick Smith. This is a work about flight, travel, motion, new opportunities; closing chapters and opening new doors, defining the moment at which it was written. While the surface appears light and breezy (and it is to a certain extent), the piece contains deep spiritual and personal messages—of completion and anticipation.

Paul Basler
Serenade for woodwind quintet

Serenade was written for the composer’s Godson, Nathaniel Lok Basler, on the occasion of his birth in 1991 and is a gentle, primarily contrapuntal work with subtle references to Stephen Foster’s Beautiful Dreamer.

Paul Basler
Six Bagatelles

Six Bagatelles was written for and commissioned by William Dietz, Professor of Bassoon at the University of Arizona.

Paul Basler
Son of Till

Son of Till was written as a showcase piece for the virtuoso hornist. The title implies a humorous link to the celebrated figure in German myth, Till—a rambunctious, likable prankster (also, references to other famous “offspring” in popular culture, namely Son of Frankenstein and Son of Godzilla). The first movement is primarily concerned with a quick ascending gesture that travels through the better part of the horn’s range. Arioso Dreams conjures up images of nightmares, illusions and a demented form of Chinese water torture in which a single, short note (E-flat) appears regularly, sending the performer into even greater fits of demented athletic activity. The last movement “celebrates” our obsession with power tools, process music (minimalism) and mindless virtuosity for its own sake. Special effects abound throughout the work, including flutter tonguing, stopped horn and half-valve glissandi. Son of Till is dedicated to William Capps, one of Basler’s primary horn mentors and another possible “offspring” connection (the dreaded Son of Bill!).

Paul Basler
Triathlon

Triathlon was commissioned by and written for the 2001 American Horn Competition as the required second round work for the professional division. The work is in three contrasting movements and tests the horn player’s performance ability and agility. The first movement, Aggressive, is a fast, swirling dance. Movement two, Apprehensive, features the low register and is characterized by slow, flowing melodies and stopped horn passages. The final movement, Acrobatic, is a very quick, Middle Eastern–inspired dance full of mixed meter and glissandi. Triathlon was written in April 2001 in Gainesville, Florida and is dedicated to Charles Snead (Professor of Horn at the University of Alabama) with great admiration and affection.

Paul Basler
Variations

Variations was written for and commissioned by the Chestnut Brass Company in 1988. The work is a set of continuous variations (with introduction). During the fall of 1996, I made extensive changes to the work—the perspective of 8 years helped “revise” my thoughts on the piece and its overall structure. Variations is dedicated with great respect and admiration to the Chestnut Brass Company.

Paul Basler
Vocalise-Waltz

Vocalise-Waltz was written for Trio Arundel (based at the University of Delaware) in May 1996. The work is in two sections—a flowing, jazz-inspired rhapsody followed by a very fast, cascading waltz. The work is dedicated with great admiration and affection to Cynthia Carr, hornist with Trio Arundel.

Paul Basler
Yankee Doodle

Yankee Doodle was commissioned and written for the Florida “State Day” and was first performed on the capitol steps in Tallahassee in the spring of 1983.

Théodore Dubois, arr. Paul Basler
Cantilene

The Cantilene was originally written for violin, horn and piano. The beautiful melody and countermelody bring out the singing quality of the horns. This piece would be appropriate on recital or in a church setting.

Matthew Fossa
Concertpiece

In the Winter of 1996, Matthew Fossa, then an oboe performance major at the Crane School of Music, began working on a piece to be dedicated to his friend and fraternity brother, Scott Bacon. It was meant to be the first movement of a full concerto for horn; however, upon completing what would have been the last movement, it was found that the piece did very well by itself. What was going to be called a Concerto for Horn became a Concertpiece for Horn. The work was premiered on March 22nd, 1998 at the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia recital held at the Crane School and conducted by the composer. Concertpiece is also available for Horn and Orchestra.

Richard Goldfaden
Trio, Op. 88

Trio, Op. 88 consists of four movements, each suitable to being played alone. While each horn part is quite independent and interesting in its own right, the first horn tends to be the high voice and the third horn the bass voice.

The first movement, which is traditional in structure, has an Adagio introduction followed by the main Allegro section. In the second movement, Scherzo, the optional “Ending B” may be taken if the first hornist would like to avoid the quick octave jumps up to high C’s in measures 217 and 221.

The third movement, more picturesque than the others, depicts the thoughts of someone experiencing the death of a loved one. It is basically a funeral march; however various emotions often interrupt: aimlessness (wandering harmonies), grief (loud stopped notes), and loneliness (extended solo passages). The fourth movement brings a return to cheerfulness. This hunt pays tribute to the roots of the horn.

Richard Goldfaden
Quartet, Op. 92

The Quartet, Opus 92, consists of four movements and is traditional in nature. The first movement is quite lively throughout and should be kept light. Movement two consists of a theme and variations, with especially interesting variations appearing in the third and fourth horns. The third movement is a Minuet. Pay special attention to the rhythms in the middle section, such as at rehearsal number 3 in the first and second horn parts. There should be only a short pause before beginning the fourth movement, the opening serving as a bridge between the Minuet and the fourth movement Allegro. Of course, the most important goal is to have fun playing this quartet as that was my goal in writing it.

Scattered throughout the four movements you may hear the famous seven-note theme of Liszt’s First Piano Concerto. At times it may be hidden, at other times more obvious. Some of the places where the motif can be heard in the first movement are at two bars before number 2 (Horn 1) and two before 22 (Horn 4); in movement two, the motif is heard at rehearsal 1 and at the third measure of number 12. In the third movement, it is used for the main theme, but with the last three notes inverted. The fourth movement seems like it is going to open with a direct quote from Liszt, but once again the last three notes are inverted. The main Allegro uses the seven notes as its main theme, but played very quickly. There are numerous other examples.

Richard Goldfaden
Warm-Up Variations, Op. 94

The purpose of the Warm-Up Variations is to take the player from a cold lip state to being fully warmed up. It is especially useful after a day or two off the horn. The warm-up starts very comfortably, then gradually widens in range and dynamics. A generous amount of rests are used to prevent fatigue and to keep breathing comfortable.

Each variation is a short exercise, focusing on a particular technique. Some exercises are general—slurring, tonguing, extreme ranges—while other cover specific problems found in orchestral repertoire. A few variations could use some explanation. Var. 5 should be triple tongued. Var. 11 provides practice for the rhythmic motif found in the first movement of Beethoven’s 7th. Var. 12 is just for fun. In Var. 15 (based on a second horn passage in Beethoven’s 3rd), the sforzandos should clearly stick out, but be sure to keep the other notes at a loud level. In Var. 20 (based on rhythms from Brahms’ 4th), make sure to differentiate between the dotted pattern (first two notes) and the triplet pattern (next two notes); however, don’t make the eighth note in the dotted pattern too short! Vars. 22 and 24 are triple and double tonguing exercises à la Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherezade. Var. 23 is practice for picking off notes: loud, soft, high, low. Var. 27 (from Mahler’s 5th) should be played very loudly, making sure both notes in the quick octave jumps are of equal weight. Also try to make the volume of the stopped notes the same as the open notes. In Var. 29, the glissandos are to be done with the lip, using one fingering for all the notes in the gliss (though a change of fingering may be needed for the “landing” note at the top of the upward glisses). The notes determine which fingering to use: all the glisses should be done with either 1st valve or open on the F horn, except the one beginning on A-flat, which can be done with 2nd and 3rd on the F horn.

Edvard Grieg, arr. Cynthia Carr
Norwegian Suite

Norwegian Edvard Grieg (1843–1907) is one of Scandinavia’s most beloved composers. He was instrumental in developing a Norwegian national musical style in the latter part of the 19th century. Grieg’s music is primarily straightforward and clear in form, with lyrical, folk-like melodies. While he excelled in writing for voice and piano, his Peer Gynt Suite for orchestra is perhaps his most widely known work.

This Norwegian Suite incorporates both vocal and instrumental music from the early and middle part of Grieg’s life. The first movement is from the suite Aus Holbergs Zeit, which Grieg published in versions for either solo piano or string orchestra. The second movement is from a set of piano works, and the final movement is from a choral work. Rotnams-Knut was a Till Eulenspiegel–type character of Norwegian legend: a prankster always getting into trouble.

I have scored this work for two choirs, in the tradition of Verne Reynolds’ wonderful Cantos arrangements, which I came to know in the Eastman Horn Choir under Reynolds’ direction. The parts can be doubled; if so, the “Solo” marking would indicate one on a part. I envision the two choirs slightly separated in performance.

G.F. Handel, arr. Cynthia Carr
Duetto III

Georg Frederic Handel, one of the leading figures in Western Classical music, had a long and distinguished career which included positions in Hanover and London, and extended visits to other leading musical capitals of the day, including Florence and Vienna. Handel revitalized and enlarged the scope of opera, composing some forty operatic works. Two of his other large-scale compositions, the oratorio Messiah and the orchestral work Water Music, are among the most immediately recognizable and frequently performed pieces from the Baroque era. While the majority of Handel’s output was in the large-scale forms of oratorio and opera, he did compose instrumental and vocal chamber music.

This piece is one of a set of twenty-two extant Italian chamber duets (for voice and continuo), believed to have been composed at Hanover during the years 1710–12. The key has been changed from the original to suit the ranges of the oboe and horn, and articulations and dynamics have been added. The piano part is the realization of the figured bass by the violinist Joseph Joachim, originally published in 1870. This transcription is suitable for students or professionals who wish to add a Baroque chamber music piece (approximately seven minutes in length) to a recital program, without the demands of range and endurance Baroque music originally written for horn or oboe typically places on those instruments.

Carlyle Manous
53 Studies in Rhythm

Over the years of my teaching experience, the most common problem I have found in my students is an inability to play rhythms correctly. Long ago, it occurred to me that, if rhythmic problems were studied in a systematic way, this situation would not exist. These rhythmic studies were written over a period of time as separate exercises designed to concentrate on specific problems; virtually every study represents a problem from an actual piece of music. Now, with a few basic studies added to make it more complete, this work is offered in an effort to fill the need for systematic rhythmic study.

Perhaps the most basic premise of these studies is that the student must develop a consciousness of the rhythmic breakdown of the beat into a duple or triple subdivision. To make this possible, many of the studies were written in a manner to make these subdivisions easily visualized. Once this has been achieved, the rhythmic ideas may be written in a conventional manner or even in a manner to make the problem more obscure.

Since the idea is to focus on one basic problem at a time, an effort has been made to eliminate, as far as possible, difficulties in range or key. Certain instruments will obviously need to play the studies 8va so that the material will lie well in terms of range.

Jack Martin (arr.)
Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares

These quartets are transcriptions of performances by what was then known as the Bulgarian State & Radio Female Vocal Choir in their recordings “Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares.” In the mid 1980s, the first of these recordings introduced modern interpretations of Bulgarian folk music sources in new compositions and arrangements for 24 female voices. The resulting sound is homogeneous, clear timbres without the vibrato familiarly utilized in Western art music. Combined use of asymmetric meters, nonfunctional harmonies and dissonances as integral parts of the harmonic structure gives this music its unique character. The range and relatively unadorned, clear tonal quality of the music lends itself particularly well to that of the horn ensemble. Other than some unique vocal techniques and instrumental accompaniments, these transcriptions remain faithful to the originals, both stylistically and harmonically.

The five pieces retain their original Bulgarian titles and translate, or are subtitled, loosely as:

Otto Nicolai, arr. Richard Goldfaden
Quartet No. 5 in C

The Six Duets of Nicolai contain some wonderful, lyrical writing for the horn. They are a joy to play for both hornists; however, they always seem to sound somewhat empty. While many harmonies are implied, two horns just cannot cover them all. To solve this problem, I have transcribed these six pieces for four horns. In addition to filling out the harmonies, these transcriptions allow for less-taxing parts and eliminate some serious problems with page turns! The original first horn part is usually covered by either the first or third horn, while the original second horn part normally appears in the second or fourth part. This quartet consists of three movements which follow the typical pattern of Fast/Slow/Fast.

Nicolo Paganini, arr. Nico De Marchi
Caprice No. 9

In his original score of the Caprice No. 9, Paganini included the instructions “imitate-flute” and “imitate-horn.” I have included these indications in the score to help with the interpretation.

It may be interesting to know that the arrangement is in the original key, and that only a few of the original octave jumps have been changed.

Marty Robinson
Les Parcs de Paris

Les Parcs de Paris (The Parks of Paris) (1999) is a work inspired by the beautiful green areas in Paris and the manner in which Parisians take to their gardens and parks. These eight miniatures for solo horn were conceived as “postcards from Paris” in an emotional and nostalgic fashion, and are not intended as universal musical depictions of the parks; therefore, while Mussorgsky’s “Tuileries” from Pictures at an Exhibition can represent the dancing lightness of the flowers and children playing at the gardens, mine suggests the peaceful sleepiness I felt, brought on by a long day spent at the nearby Louvre.

The elegant Luxembourg Gardens were always filled with children of all ages. While on a walk through the Ranelagh Gardens (near a Monet museum), a game of bocci ball provided whimsical sights and sounds. At the stately Place des Vosges, a strolling violinist wowed me with his virtuosic technique. The Champ de Mars was remarkable for the contradiction of its vast openness right next to the powerfully compact Eiffel Tower. The Parc de Bagatelle, normally abounding with flowers, was a bit scraggly and thorny for my out-of-season twilight visit, and the Parc Monceau evokes romantic memories for my wife and me. The quintessential green space called the Woods of Boulogne was a delightfully playful park that brings to mind images of family gatherings, childlike games, a lazy boat ride, and ample room simply to relax as a Parisian would.

Kurt Stallmann
Fantasy

In the Fantasy for Horn and Tape, I wanted to create a “horn” world within which the soloist is an active member. Most of the sounds incorporated in the tape part are manipulations of horn sounds, or approximate horn-like timbres. The challenge was to maintain a sound world consistency while creating contrast through timbral shading. Throughout the work, the relationship between the timbres of the performer and the tape changes. The piece begins with sounds blending as closely as possible, and ends with the tape veering off into another dimension while the performer stands firm, without flinching.

As a child, I often listened to the sound of my brother practicing his horn in the next room as I fell asleep. The infusion of its timbre into dream imagery inspired the title of this work.

Richard Strauss, arr. Richard Goldfaden
Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks

All of you horn players will undoubtedly be familiar with this Strauss masterpiece. But it is rare that you actually get a chance to play it in orchestra. Now you can just gather nine other hornists (and perhaps a conductor) and play this wonderful music any time you desire. This transcription contains every measure of the original tone poem.

Tempos may sometimes need to be slightly slower than those traditionally taken by orchestras; remember, we play horns, not violins. Due to the complex rhythms, using a conductor is recommended, at least until all the players learn how the parts fit together. The odd-numbered horn parts generally play high and the even ones low, though a wide range can be found in most of the parts. The use of mutes is essential as they give varying tone colors, help with balance, and occasionally allow for “safer” high notes.

Performance suggestions: Though not marked, the tempo should relax from rehearsal number 6 to the fifth of number 9. During the first eight bars of number 27, the third horn should take plenty of time. In the four bars before number 38, the fifth horn may use flutter tongue if it helps this note sound more like a drum roll. While all the horn parts have difficult sections, some of the hardest ensemble passages are at number 7 (for six bars), number 11 (for two bars), getting into number 17, and the seventh of number 23 to 24. It may be prudent to rehearse these passages prior to reading through the piece. I hope you enjoy playing this transcription.

G.C. Wagenseil, arr. Cynthia Carr
Allegro from Divertimento Op. 5, No. 2

Georg Christoph Wagenseil spent his life in Vienna, where he was trained as a keyboard player and composer, and worked as a court composer for nearly forty years, including in the court of the Empress Maria Theresa. His keyboard music was performed by amateurs and professionals alike during his lifetime, and he also composed church music (masses and motets), dramatic music (oratorios and operas), and much instrumental music ranging from trios to symphonies. His compositional style evolved from a solemn, intricate, contrapuntal approach in the first half of his career to a light, elegant, melody-based approach in the later decades; he thus served as an important link between the Baroque era and the gallant style of the early Classical era. This Allegro is the first movement of a Divertimento which was originally for violin, viola, and keyboard instrument. It has a light-hearted spirit with bright, lively writing for the piano, and would be a nice addition to a recital program when a brief (5′20″), cheerful, early-Classical piece is called for. This arrangement is very suitable for students, especially when the horn player takes the option to play the highest passages down an octave.